3 Walking Workouts to Get You Moving

3 Walking workouts to get you moving.

There came a point where I didn’t want to be a runner anymore. At least for a little while. Maybe I’d get back into it, but I didn’t know when. Then I found myself not getting any cardio exercise at all. And the pounds started adding up. That’s when I decided a walking workout was the way to get back to regular exercise.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not going to try to tell you walking, in itself, will help you lose weight, unless you’re race-walking and training, but it will help keep the weight off.

Once you’re out of the habit, it’s difficult to start back. You’ll tell yourself you don’t have time. We know you could find the time if you wanted. Be stronger than your excuses.

Walking Workout #1

If you can only fit in one session a day, so be it, but making time for two sessions is ideal. The idea here is to get out there. At this point it doesn’t matter if it’s a leisurely stroll, as long as you make the time and add the steps to your day. You’ll build from here.

You’ll be walking 5 DAYS A WEEK

Week 1 – Walk 10 minutes.

Week 2 – Walk 15 minutes.

Week 3 – Walk 20 minutes.

Week 4 – Walk 25 minutes. Walk easy for 5 minutes, then pick up the pace for at least a minute, but as long as you can sustain it, then go back to walking at your regular pace for 5 minutes, repeat. Be sure to finish with 5 minutes of easy walking.

Week 5 – Walk 30 minutes. Warm up walk for 5 minutes, then pick up the pace for as long as you can, try to extent this time each day, go back to walking at regular pace for 5 minutes, repeat. Be sure you end with 5 minutes of easy walking.

Week 6 – Walk 30 minutes on day one, 35 minutes on day 2, 40 minutes on day 3, 45 minutes on day 4, 50 minutes on day five.

Week 7 and beyond. Walk 30 minutes each day, using intervals where you increase your speed, then have a recovery period and repeat until your 30 minutes are up. Then on day 5, walk 40 minutes.

From here you may want to try these other walking workouts.

Saucony makes great walking shoes

Walking Workout #2

This workout needs a little more explanation. You’ll only be walking 30 minutes, but you’ll be varying your pace.

Easy/warm-up and cool down – like you’re strolling along the sidewalk.

Casual pace – you could easily sing along to your iTunes.

Brisk pace – forget the singing, you can still hold a conversation.

Strong pace – you can talk, but you don’t really want to, you’ll be busy trying to breathe.

Power walk – use the rolling heel to toe walk, moving your hips a little more, like race walkers. You won’t want to be chatting at this pace.

This 30 minute workout will have you changing your pace so much the time will be over before you know it.

Minutes 1-5 warm-up with an easy pace

Minutes 6-10 pick it up to a casual pace

Minutes 11-13 bump it up to a brisk pace

Minutes 14-16 step it up to a strong pace

Minutes 17-18 you’ll be power walking

Minutes 19-21 back to brisk pace

Minutes 22-25 go casual again

Minutes 26-30 cool down with an easy pace

Walking Workout #3

This is your 12 minute power walk. When you don’t really have time for a 30 minute walk, but you need to get the exercise in, and don’t want to take a day off and lose the momentum you’ve built.

This is an interval workout.

2 minutes at easy pace

2 minutes at brisk pace

2 minutes at power walking pace

2 minutes at easy pace

2 minutes at power walking pace

2 minutes easy pace

Boom! You’re done. And you didn’t skip a workout because you were short on time.

If you’re doing workout #3 on a treadmill, try increasing the incline along with the pace. Get that booty working.

There you have it. Three fun walking routines to get you back in gear. If you haven’t been walking or exercising for a while, I highly suggest starting with workout one, then moving to the other workouts.